Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Darcy
“ S o, when are you going to come clean and tell me the truth about you and Sebastian?” Natalia questioned.
The men had stayed back at the bar to talk business since Spencer was Jim Mitchell’s VP, and there was no better place to catch up on business than while you’re on vacation in Mexico.
“Hm?” I answered, enjoying my slight buzz from all the margaritas at dinner.
“You know what I’m talking about,” Nat shifted in the beach lounge chair she’d taken next to me as we watched the full moon lending its light to create a gorgeous sparkle on the ocean.
“Well, truth is, I never imagined I’d date the guy, much less be engaged to him. So, there’s that,” I answered her.
“Well, I agree there,” she returned with a laugh. “I never imagined it, either. In fact, I never imagined him wanting anything to do with anybody out here on the West Coast, especially a woman beneath his status ,” she teased.
I couldn’t fault Natalia for asking the questions I knew everyone was wondering. I’d been expecting the barrage of inquiries since I agreed to the trip. Hell, the fact that Avery and I hadn’t even had a minute to discuss this outside of Sebastian’s presence was probably why Nat was asking.
“Did Avery send you with a list of questions?” I thought I’d just come out and ask. “She and I didn’t have time to talk about it before I went viral on a plane to Mexico.”
She chuckled, “No, I haven’t talked to her too much since the yacht. That little cookie is one busy mama. Parenting is no joke, let me tell you. Between parenting and constantly being on the go with work, I told my husband that if he rejected Sebastian’s invitation for a free trip to Mexico, I would reject him for the freebies he gets every night from the marital bed if you know what I mean?”
I grinned, seeing her daring expression as she hinted about their sex life.
“I had no idea that Sebastian paid for everyone’s trip.”
“No?” she questioned, but I could tell she was fishing for information.
“Nope,” I said, acting like there was nothing wrong about not knowing that Sebastian would be so obvious and desperate to fly everyone down here just to avoid being auctioned off. God, that man had more money than brains.
“Well, that’s definitely why I could believe you both were engaged if it were true.”
“What?” I questioned her with a laugh. “Why wouldn’t you believe it were true?”
“Because, honey, I know the look of a man who hasn’t been laid and needs to be laid. And I can tell you that Sebastian Aster hasn’t been laid in two years minimum .”
“Two years?” I laughed. “Well, his wife has only been gone for a year, not two.”
“I met his wife before, and not to speak ill of the dead, but that man got cut off from the watering hole at least a year before she passed,” she said with a shrug. “She was a smart woman who knew how to put a man like him in his place. Sadly, he’s a stubborn, inflexible asshole, and when you combine his stubbornness with hers, you’re in for a Sahara-level dry spell. It’s written all over him.”
“Good God,” I said, glancing around, hoping desperately that Sebastian didn’t hear any of this girl talk.
“Look at you,” she smiled. “Worried about something?”
Fucking hell . How and why was I up against a woman who was relentless as hell in trying to get the truth out of me?
“Don’t play coy with me, honey. I mean this as no insult to you, but Sebastian Aster would never dip down from his high and mighty social status to date a woman who, in his mind , didn’t complement the powerful man he believes himself to be.”
“I can’t imagine why I would take that as an insult,” I laughed, knowing her intentions were good.
“It’s not one. If the man did have the balls to match his brains, he would date you and, yes, immediately snatch you off the market before someone else did by proposing marriage. But he doesn’t, obviously,” she said, reclining as if she were soaking up the moonlight. “He worries about power, money, and status, hence the reason his wife could weaponize sex and get away with him not cheating on her for the entire year that she cut him off.”
“Shit, that’s pretty horrible.”
“Well, they were a horrible couple,” Nat said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Seriously. She was as wicked as I’m sure you believe he is.”
Was she a fly on the walls of my parents’ estate for the last few weeks? I thought, shocked Nat was talking to me as if it were a given that Sebastian and I hated each other.
“Word gets around like wildfire in those upper circles, and I have a lot of East Coast friends who love filling me in on all the gossip about their enemies. Trust me, the Asters hold themselves so high above everyone else that their enemies are abundant, not that any of them would ever let on. They’re too afraid of them to speak out of turn. Sebastian the Third is quite the mother fucker.”
I laughed probably louder than I should’ve. “You’re right about that much,” I said, “but we probably shouldn’t talk about his late wife.” I knew Nat was coming from an honest place, but a weird part of me felt like Melissa was listening. I had enough trouble with people stirring up shit in the physical world; I damn sure didn’t need anyone fucking with me from beyond the grave.
“Fair enough,” Nat answered. “Why don’t we get the truth out of the way, then? That way, I don’t have to watch you both act so ridiculous all week long. You’re both shitty actors, by the way,” she chuckled. “So, tell me why you’re doing it?”
“Oh, my God,” I said, rubbing my forehead and wondering if we’d slipped somehow. “I can’t believe this.”
“Believe what? Honey, it takes a lot to fool me. I’m sure Spencer bought into your bullshit enough that I’ll have to stomach his remarks later about how happy he is for Sebastian when you and I both know that man is not happy.”
“True,” I finally admitted. “Okay, listen,” I said, knowing this wasn’t good, but I wasn’t the who one invited everyone to Mexico for a vacation, Sebastian was. He was one hundred percent confident that we could pull this off, and somehow, Nat saw right through it like a human lie detector. “He and I have an arrangement, and our fake relationship is part of that.”
“How in the hell did you manage to make a deal with the devil?” she questioned.
“Funny, that’s what I call him, too,” I chuckled.
“I know. You had a bit of holy fire in your eyes when you spoke about him on Jake’s yacht, and I don’t blame you because Sebastian Aster is a world-renowned dick. That is also why he’s a vital asset to his family’s fortune. His parents are going to destroy you for coming along and interfering with him, you know, like making him nice and things of that nature,” she said with a laugh. “For the record, even though the relationship between you two is fake, I watched both of your mannerisms as you walked up to the table tonight. I noticed that he seems a lot lighter in your presence. Do you know what I mean? He’s typically such a heavy, foreboding guy, but he wasn’t his usual pensive and broody self.”
“The reason we’re doing this is because of my bold move to get him back for being a raging asshole and constantly insulting my parents, their home, and me while he’s been here. I thought it would’ve been hilarious to watch him get a taste of his medicine and get auctioned off to the people he is accustomed to lording over.”
“That’s why I loved the idea when you mentioned it on the boat,” she softly laughed. “So, let me guess, after he found out your plan, he made you an offer you couldn’t refuse.”
“Well, I didn’t just bend over and take his first offer—or threat,” I said with an eye roll. “The deal is that I help him pull off this fake relationship to stop from being auctioned off, and then he’ll give me a story to write about him. After that, we end it. No one gets hurt because we aren’t attracted to each other. We’re just doing this business deal , and once the event is over, we go back to our lives as usual. I have to say,” I went on, barely catching my breath while Natalia listened, “I’m relieved that I can talk to you about it because I’ve been having the hardest time lying to everyone I care about. But that’s part of the deal.”
“Your secret is safe with me, sweetie,” she reassured me. “However, you must be extremely careful getting close to him like this.”
“I am, trust me. I want nothing to do with him outside of this.”
“You say that now, but sometimes the heart will go after what it wants, leaving your brilliant mind in the dust. The second your heart takes over, you’re fucked. And with that man, you’ll be a shattered mess on the ground, and we may never put Humpty Dumpty’s pieces together again.”
“I’m very well aware that falling in love with him is a nightmare scenario because he’s more about finding happiness in money than love.”
“Exactly, but remember, your mind is still in the driver’s seat, so keep it there.”
“I will.”
“And whatever you do, no sex ,” she advised.
“You think I’m going to let that man charm me into bed?”
“You’d be shocked by how married men can act when they realize the woman they are fucking around with has feelings for them. Suddenly, they’re devoted husbands who will never leave their wives. Sebastian will treat you the same. The moment he feels you have expectations of him is the moment he sobers up and wants nothing to do with you. That happens after you are intimate. He’s lonely and has been stuck in grief for over a year now, so he’s capable of anything.”
“Hence the reason he pulled this fake relationship idea out of his ass and dragged me into it.”
“Exactly. The Sebastian I know wouldn’t operate like that. Strong words and hostile threats would’ve been thrown around until you pulled back that auction idea, but for some reason, he’s decided to play silly games.” She sat up, “Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for fun and games with a hint of danger, wildly casual sex, and all that other good stuff. But he’s on another level, and I’m afraid these games will get one or both of you hurt.”
“I hear you. I tried to get out of it more than once,” I said.
“Just be careful. I’ll be here to listen to you bitch about all the annoyances this will most likely bring you, especially when Jake and Jim get here in two days. Then you get to deal with all those jackasses as well, God love them.”
“Oh, they’re coming?”
“Well, Ash and Avery wanted it to be a surprise, but I think we’re all worn out on cute little surprises,” she chuckled. “At least you have someone to vent it to if you wish. Just remember what I said and be careful. There are so many good men available for you to choose from.”
“That’s just the thing. I’m not looking to get into a relationship, and that’s the damn truth.”
“Don’t kid yourself, sweetie,” she smirked. “Everyone wants to be in a relationship, but it’s got to be with the right person. People give up on love because finding a good person is challenging sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you should put yourself on a shelf. And sure, this is all easy for me to say now. Before Spencer came along, I was rock-solid in wanting never to get married. Now look at me.”
The relief of being able to unburden myself and confide in a friend came when I needed it most, and who better to talk to about this situation than Nat? She had made her way through all the upper-class circles, and she could see through bullshit immediately. Having a strong, intelligent woman on my side was what I needed to keep my head on straight, and I was determined to do just that.